The Little Things In Life
by GrandeCoven
Summary: The little things in life are the ones we should appreciate the most (Caskett one shots)
1. Chapter 1

AN: Ok so I was lying in bed one night and the idea of Kate in bunny pajamas randomly popped up. I thought it would be cute, so I decided to do a short one shot based around Christmas. It is past Christmas but I was so busy and exhausting that I didn't have a chance to act on the idea. I don't know if I'll leave it as is or make it a collection of one shots, but feel free to suggest anything you want written.

Enjoy!

-Emily

Christmas in Pajamas

The snow was falling outside, the fireplace was crackling, and Martha and Alexis were snuggled on the couch under a blanket. A bowl of popcorn was on the coffee table, along with mugs of hot chocolate. They were all ready to start their annual Christmas Eve movie marathon.

Castle, however, was occupied with something else.

"Kate, you can come out any time now"

Rick's foot tapped on the floor as he stared at the closed door. It was Christmas Eve and the whole Castle family was waiting in the living room, dressed in cozy pajamas and ready to have a movie marathon.

Except Beckett that was.

He had convinced her to put on an old pair of pajamas she had found, but she refused to come out of their bedroom

"I, um- but-... you promise you won't laugh?"

Beckett could feel her face go red and she cursed Castle for talking her into this. She looked like a total dork, and Caste wasn't exactly the most mature guy ever.

Castle smirked, he could just imagine Beckett hiding behind the door, probably holding something to throw at Castle if he laughed.

Actually, maybe that wasn't so funny. Beckett had freakishly good aim, as he had found out on many unfortunate occasions.

"I promise Beckett. Now get out here before we start without you."

Castle heard the muffled sounds of grumbling, and the doorknob began to turn.

Beckett's head popped out from behind the door, and Castle had to put a hand over his mouth to stop from laughing. Beckett's head was covered with a pink hood that had bunny ears, and her face was bright red. It was the cutest thing he had ever seen.

"Rick, if you laugh at me I swear I will tell Ryan and Espo about why you really bought the new coffee machine"

Rick gasped and put his hands over his mouth. She promised never to mention the coffee incident. He was lucky to have escaped Gates wrath with all his body parts intact.

"You wouldn't dare...Besides, it's not my fault Captain Gates got there so early..." he mumbled as he frowned.

"Just try me. Now, promise not to make fun of me or laugh?"

Rick rolled his eyes and crossed his arms

"I promise! Now come out so we can start the movie."

Beckett took a deep breath and stepped into the living room, bowing her head so she wouldn't have to see Castle's reaction.

Castle raised his eyebrows an smirked. Beckett was dressed in pink pajama bottoms with bunnies on them, and a pink sweater that had hood with bunny ears on it. Her purple bunny slippers only made her look even cuter.

"But you look so... ADORABLE"

Beckett turned even redder and covered her face with hands

"I look like I'm 6 years old again, Castle! How did you even convince me to participate in your dumb tradition anyways..."

Castle grinned and pulled her into a hug

"Because you love me and don't want to end up on the naughty list of course"

Beckett scoffed against Castle's chest, but snuggled into him and wrapped her arms around is waist.

"If you tell Ryan or Espo about this I will make sure you never step in the precinct ever again, m'kay?"

Castle laughed and placed his head on top of hers

"I won't say a word I swear... But it's not like you could keep me out anyways. You could never resist my coffee, and you would miss this adorable face."

Beckett rolled her eyes and broke the hug to walk over to the couch where Martha and Alexis sat.

"Oh Kate, you do look cute. Alexis had almost the exact same pajamas when she was young"

Castle strolled over to the sofa and plopped down between Beckett and Alexis

"Yes, you were almost as cute as Beckett is"

"Dad! ...You were the one who destroyed my pajamas to dress a stray cat"

"I couldn't help it, he gave me the look. You know I can't resist that"

Castle pouted and turned to Beckett for help. Beckett giggled at Castle's child like stubbornness and weakness for cute animals

"So are you saying you would give my pajamas to a cat?"

Castle grinned at Beckett and leaned over to kiss the top of her head

"Oh of course not, your face is even cuter then any cats. Besides, I'm sure you can buy cat clothes are in New York after all"

Beckett could only laugh at Castle's idea to buy a cat clothes. If they ever got a cat, no way was she letting him dress it up in sweaters and pajamas.

"If you can't even say no to a cat how did you ever learn to tell Alexis no?"

Castle grinned sheepishly

"I didn't. I was luck enough to have a child with self control. No idea where she got it from though"

Alexis smirked and lightly swatted Castle on the arm

"When you have a child for a father, there wasn't much room to be a spoiled brat"

Castle looked offended and grabbed the remote from Alexis

"I am not a child! I just like to have fun..."

"So, are we gonna start the movie or are you all just going to talk about pajamas a night?"

Martha interrupted as she grabbed her hot chocolate form the table

Alexis, Beckett, and Castle all mumbled their approval and Castle dimmed the lights. Alexis balanced a bowl of popcorn on her lap, Castle started the movie, while Kate laid her head on Castle's shoulder and snuggled into him.

It wasn't how she imagined Christmas was gonna be like, but she could get used to it...


	2. Revenge

AN: okay so I got really lazy and totally forgot about this, when I did remember I had a speech to do and went to Paris (it was so perfect!) on Spring Break so now I finally have free time and the motivation (though giving the speech might kill me so don't worry if I go missing again) This story is just kinda popped into my head, and I had to rewrite it many times to make it seem as realistic as I could. Enjoy xoxoEmily

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Beckett slammed the door shut, grumbling under her breath.

"It's bad enough that I have to live with a giant child, now I have a spoiled one living next to me"

She peeled off her coat and black boots, both of which were now soaked and covered in mud. She quickly threw her hair up into a messy bun and started towards the bathroom to take a long, hot shower. She needed it after the day she had.

"Kate, is that you?"

Castle's head popped out from the study, before doing a double take at her soaking appearance

"Jeez, did you piss off Zeus or what?"

"Something like that" Beckett sighed as she thought about all the things that had gone wrong today.

After her shower she would get a good book, a hot cup of tea, and relax in bed. Tomorrow was another day, and she would make it a good one. The hot water burned her skin, but she didn't mind, her brain was focusing on only one thing.

Revenge

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Today had been a pretty slow day at the precinct, tracking down leads for the murder of an award-winning gardener (who knew people could take plants so seriously?) Gates wanted them to work faster, Espo and Ryan wanted to play pranks on the unsuspecting members of the precinct, and Beckett had unfortunately met the wrong end of a joy buzzer in the process. But the real trouble started once her work day had finished.

She had driven home, and was ready to sit back and unwind, but the universe had other plans for her.

It was raining lightly, and she had her umbrella open before she dared get out the car. She didn't really enjoy the "drowned rat" look after all. She had noticed that their new neighbors had finally moved in, and by the look of it they had a lot of money and at least one kid. She decided to quickly wander over and introduce herself before she went inside, not realizing how much she would regret it.

She strolled up the long driveway, halfway up it a loud voice yelled from behind her

"Hey, Lady! What are you doing?"

Beckett quickly turned around, then relaxed her muscles when she saw it was just a kid

"He must be their kid" she thought to herself as she studied him.

About 6'0 tall, with short brown hair and ice blue eyes, he looked like your average high school jock.

"Sorry, I just came over to introduce myself. I'm your neighbor, Kate Beckett. I live next door to you guys, but I can come back later if you want?"

Beckett watched him look at her, almost deep in thought, before sticking out his hand

" It's fine. I'm Josh, we just moved here from Chicago"

Beckett shook his hand, hoping he hadn't got the wrong first impression of her already.

"So do you play soccer?" she gestured at his shirt with some school team logo, it looked like some sort of Eagle with "Bear Mountain High School" written on it, and his giant equipment bag

He laughed and looked down at his shirt.

"I guess it's pretty obvious I'm into sports, huh?"

Beckett smiled warmly "Well I'm gonna go talk to your parents, ok?"

Josh nodded and started to jog off, probably going to go practice some more. Beckett turned and started to walk towards their front door, but only got a few steps before a wave of coldness hit her square in the back.

She lost her breath for a moment, before spinning around. She saw Josh doubled over, laughing, and pointing at her. He was standing next to a giant puddle, and judging by the bits of mud and water on his ankles, he had just jumped full force into it. Beckett had to stop herself from lunging at him like he was some sort of criminal, and took a deep breath.

Josh had finally stood up and regained his breath.

"The look on your face is so priceless, and now your coat looks a lot less fancy with a bunch of mud on it…. Also, I play hockey, not soccer"

Trying to convince herself that this jerk was not worth going to jail for assault, Beckett stormed off, already thinking of how to get him back. She might need to involve Castle, but that was as a last resort . She had paid 200$ for this coat and she'd be damned if some brat ruined it as a joke.

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She turned the shower off, dried herself, and slipped into some comfy pajamas, an idea already forming in her mind. With some luck, computer skills, and the help of the internet, she would get her revenge.

Brewing a mug of tea calmed her, and she grabbed a random book of the shelf to read. As she crawled under the covers, she could feel Castle's eyes boring into the back of her head.

"Is there something you want to say, or are you just appreciating my hair?" Beckett asked, wondering if involving him in her plan was a good idea or not

"Well it's just that you were soaking wet and looked like you were about to murder someone. That doesn't seem very normal, so I was wondering what fool managed to make you that mad. Oh and your hair is gorgeous too-"

Beckett turned to face him and studied his face, deciding if telling him was a good idea.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

Castle looked at her quizzically, but agreed

"Well our new neighbors moved in today, and I went over there to introduce myself and met their son in the yard… We talked a bit, and he seemed alright. But when I turned to continue on to the house, that jerk jumped full force into a puddle and got me soaking wet and covered in mud."

Beckett go feel herself go red, and saw Castle's eyes widen to the size of dinner plates

"He did…..WHAT?! That little brat I am going to murder him I swear-"

Beckett interrupted him before he could go any further.

"Don't worry Castle, I have a plan for revenge. It requires a bit of luck and some dirty tricks, but I think it will teach him a lesson…."

After telling him the plan, they worked out a few details, checked to make sure everything was possible, and then went to sleep….

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Beckett woke up, slowly stretching and enjoying the pleasant warmth of the bed and Castle's arms wrapped around her. She slowly wriggled out of his embrace, and got dressed. It was only 9am but the sun was out and shinning, a stark contrast to yesterday's gloom.

She started brewing coffee, when she heard Castle stumble out of bed and began to bang around the house. By the time he was dressed and managed to find his way to the kitchen, still sleepy, she was already onto making pancakes for the both of them. Pancakes were her specialty and today was a special day.

"Hey sleepyhead, grab some coffee and get ready for the best pancakes ever"

Beckett proceeded to flip the pancakes as high as she dared, smirking when they all landed back in the pan.

"Hmmmmm…? Oh, coffee and fancy pancake flipping, I really did pick the right girl"

Castle hugged her from behind and kissed the top of her head, before going to sit down at the table.

"Pancakes are now served, but don't forget we have revenge to achieve so don't take too long. I have plans with Lanie this afternoon and I want to be here when phase 2 begins"

Beckett plopped down and began to wolf down her pancakes at an incredible speed. Castle grunted as he continued to shove pancakes into his mouth like a little child, obviously he was just as excited for the plan as she was.

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"So what exactly do we pick? Cats are too simple, insults are boring, and porn is too unoriginal." Beckett tapped a pen against her head, trying to think of something creative and worthy enough for her revenge.

"I doubt google would have many suggestions for this kind of stuff... Wait, I know! Alexis uses this site called tumblr, I've seen some pretty weird stuff on there. I bet we could find something."

Beckett looked at him strangely, but typed it into her laptop anyways.

"Castle, we need an account for this…."

"So just sign up for one"

Beckett glared at him but entered all her information, hopefully it would be worth it.

"Wait, it says we have to pick an URL. Any ideas?"

Castle clapped his hands and began listing off ideas.

"Um, how about CastlesBiggestFan? Or CastleIsAGod? Wait-"

"Seriously? Those are all taken anyways. We need something simple -Confidence"

"Okay….How about Caskett? Get it, Cas(tle) and (Bec)kett? Our names combined?"

Beckett raised her eyebrows but entered it anyway, it sounded a lot nicer then his other ideas

"It's TAKEN?! Does the universe hate me or something?"

Castle thought for a moment, before grinning

"I know! Try Caskett-Is-Forever"

Beckett rolled her eyes but entered it, and finally they had an account

"So what do we do now?"

Castle got a gleam in his eye and laughed

"Just leave it to me. I'll get everything set up and find us the perfect thing"

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It was 1pm, and Castle claimed to have the perfect thing for their plan. She didn't know if Castle had gone insane or the world had just got a whole lot weirder since she was a teenager. Probably both.

"Castle, that's a picture of a of Leonardo Dicaprio holding Paula Deen on the Titanic. Are you sure you have the right picture?"

"Of course! His parents will think he's insane, and it's not something anyone would want to look at, so…"

Beckett sighed and gave him the nod of approval. Not what she imagined, but hopefully it would be just as effective. Castle double checked all the settings, and then glanced at Beckett. She smiled, and he took a deep breath. It was time. 50 copies was a good number to start, but they could always choose more.

He hit "Print"

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Castle and Beckett ran over to their balcony, not wanting to miss a moment. They sat down, magazines in hand, trying to look innocent as possible.

"JOSH, GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW"

Castle and Beckett broke into giggles, using the magazines to hide their faces.

"What mom? I'm busy"

"YOU HAVE A LOT TO EXPLAIN YOUNG MAN"

They both looked at each other, already happy with how this plan was going.

"Jeez, did I murder someone or something?"

"WHY ARE THE PAGES OF LEONARDO DICAPRIO HOLDING PAULA DEEN BEING PRINTED-"

"How am I suppose to know?!"

"Are you saying your father or I did it? Because so help me-"

"I've never even seen it before mom!"

"Then who's printing it? THEY'RE STILL NOT STOPPING, HOW MANY DID YOU PRINT?!"

"But I-"

Castle and Beckett stopped trying to hide their laughter, both were doubled over and hardly breathing by now

"You are grounded for a month, and if you ever pull another stunt like this-"

Castle and Beckett snuck back inside to avoid being heard, and then collapsed on the couch, laughing.

"We sure taught him a lesson, I doubt he'll try to mess with you anytime soon"

Beckett grinned and stood up.

"If he has any brains he won't. Now I'm off for a lunch date with Lanie, I'm sure all this will amuse her"

As Beckett strolled to her car, she saw Josh pouting in his yard, looking like a little child. He glanced over at her.

She winked at him and slid into her car.

Josh just stared at her, wondering if his neighbor was insane.

Then it dawned on him…...


	3. Her Fondest Wish

AN: So I am actually almost done all of my work, and now since I'm caught up on all my current shows and it's the weekend so here I am, writing on a Friday night. I found this prompt randomly, and then I found a cute little idea that fit it, it may not be my best but I wrote it in one night and it turned out way longer then I planned, so here you go

P.S. I would not recommend crawling into a cabinet and jumping out, so don't blame me if you decide to try it during laser tag or for any other reason.  
Xoxo Emily

Prompt: A character's fondest wish come true

* * *

This was not how she had imagined it.

Sure, it was amazing, and her even her tipsy brain knew something was off, but she didn't realize that she had forgotten just one thing.

Castle's immaturity.

* * *

*earlier that day*  
"Beckett, are you done writing your report? All this food is not going to eat itself"  
Caste flopped down into her chair at the table, surveying all the food he had cooked. The whole table was covered with every kind of food you could imagine, and he had worked hard on all of it.

"Give me a second, it smells amazing– oh my god Castle, are we having the army over for dinner? We can't possibly eat all of that-"

Castle rolled his eyes shoved a plate of food at her.

"And that's why they invented the refrigerator Beckett. I just felt like cooking a bunch I guess. So eat, and maybe we can play laser tag later"

Beckett thought for a moment, she had work but the temptation of crushing Castle was almost too much. Beckett was undefeated so far in the Castle house arena, and she wouldn't mind extending her streak.

"Fine, but be prepared to get crushed. Just because you're my husband doesn't mean I'll go easy on you"

Castle clapped his hands in glee, and began to clear the table. He knew all the extra food would come in handy later, so he made sure to carefully pack away everything. The laser tag bribe may not have been the best idea, but he had time to kill and needed to go over his plan anyway…..

* * *

"500-0, I would have thought you'd know your house better then me" Beckett's teasing tone came from the living room, where she had made the killshot."

"HEY. IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU CAN CURL UP INTO CUPBOARDS SO EASILY…..How can you even jump out of those and shoot at the same time?!"

Beckett just smirked and stretched out on the couch, enjoying the pout on Castle's face.

"Let's just say I'm pretty flexible…."

Castle's eyes grew wide and he dropped his laser gun, as much as he wanted to take Beckett up on that, there was stuff to do. His willpower was strong enough...right?

It was all Beckett could do to hold in her laughter, but he focused on his plan. Tonight was gonna be special and there was so many little details to go over.

* * *

Castle could hear Beckett typing away in her office, and took the opportunity to sneak into their bedroom unnoticed. It wasn't exactly how he imagined marriage were suppose to be like, but his relationship with Beckett hadn't exactly been normal either. He stole the biggest blanket he could find, Beckett's favorite pillows, some pajamas, the new scented candles she had just bought, then threw it into a bag. You could never be too careful..

It was 9pm and Castle knew it was time to set the plan in motion.

"Beckett, I'm just going to run to the store and get some more food, ok?"

Beckett's head popped out from her office, wondering why Castle would be going out so late, but too involved in her work to pay much attention to it.

"Mmmmmk, don't stay out too late. I was thinking we could order Thai Food at 10, that okay with you?"

Castle paused for a moment, deciding what to tell her.

"Well, I had other plans for dinner, I was hoping we could go out….?"

Beckett tilted her head, confusion written all over her face

"Are you sure? I'm kinda tired and I was kinda hoping we could just cuddle on the couch and watch a movie…"

A pang of guilt shot through Castle, but he pushed it aside and reminded himself of all the work he had put into tonight. He gave Beckett his puppy eyes, knowing she couldn't resist.

"…..Fine, but tomorrow we are SO staying in all day, got it?"

Castle broke into a grin and ran over to kiss Beckett

"I promise I'll make it totally worth it, and we won't set foot outside this house tomorrow!"

He grabbed his phone and waited til Beckett was back to typing before grabbing his bag with everything he would need and a basket with all the left over food from lunch.

* * *

With the food in an ice box in the trunk and the bag in the passenger seat,, he dialed Ryan's number and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ryan, I've got everything ready, are you there yet?"

"Hang on, I'm almost there. Do you have he Knicks ticket ready?"

"Yes Ryan, I want everything to go perfectly and keep it a surprise so if you don't tell Espo or Jenny I'll let you borrow my Ferrari for a day"

"You got yourself a deal Castle, I won't breath a word to anyone"

Castle ended the call and started driving, going through everything in his mind and praying that all would go smoothly.  
He pulled up to the park and parked his car. He grabbed the bag, basket, and icebox, then scanned the park for Ryan. Spotting him in a small gathering near the lake, he strolled over as quick as he could while balancing all the things he was holding.

"Wow, is there anything you didn't bring?!"

Castle set everything down, and glared at Ryan

"I put a lot of work into this and I need it to be perfect. Just set everything up and call me when it's done, ok?"

He handed Ryan the Knicks ticket and jogged back over to he car. He glanced at his watch and saw it was already 10:30, Beckett would probably be very grumpy by now, and he wasn't looking forward to facing her.

As he was driving home, his car announced that he had a call incoming.  
From Beckett.

"Castle, are you dead or just trying to kill my patience?! If you have managed to get yourself arrested so help me-"

"No no no I'm fine, I just got held up. I promise I'll make it up to you tonight, ok?"

He could hear her grumbling, but she agreed and hung up the phone. Ryan called him a short time later and told him that he was all done. Castle had made her wait long enough, now it was time for the last part of his plan.

* * *

Castle slowly opened the door, bracing himself for a human tornado.

"Beckett, are you ready to go? I know it's 11 o'clock at night but I got us the perfect spot…"

Beckett walked out the bathroom, dressed in a soft white, flowing dress and a flower headband made of roses, she looked like the human version of mother nature and he couldn't believe he got to spend everyday with someone as beautiful as her.

"This better be totally worth it, Richard Edgar Castle, or else Ryan and Espo will be solving your homicide"

Castle winked and grabbed her hand, praying that Ryan had everything set up and ready for them and nothing had gone wrong.

Halfway through their drive Beckett realized they weren't going towards any of their usual restaurants.

"Did you take a wrong turn? This isn't the way we're suppose to go-"

"Just trust me Beckett, okay?"

He slipped his hand into hers and squeezed it, flashing her his most charming smile.

"I trust you, but please tell me we are getting there quickly. I think people in the next city over can hear my stomach growling"

"I promise"

* * *

It was midnight, and Castle finally pulled up at the park.

Beckett turned to look at Castle, not understanding what was happening

"Wait why are we at a park? Is this some kind of joke-"

"Just close your eyes and take my hands, you'll see"

Beckett took a deep breath, but did what he said anyways.

Castle led her to the small gathering by the lake, raising his eyebrows at the scene before him. Ryan really did do a great job.  
There was a blanket and Beckett's favorite pillows laid on the ground, candles surrounding it, his bag laid discretely to the side and the icebox ad picnic basket lying at the end of the blanket.  
"Okay, open your eyes now"

Beckett opened her eyes and gasped at the sight before her. It was like a dream, and she felt her heart swell with happiness. She could feel tears well up in her eyes, and tried to wipe them away before Castle saw them

"You– you did all this for me? How did you know I always wished for a midnight picnic? Why would you go through all the trouble?" Beckett said softly, almost too quiet for Castle to hear.

"Because the look on your face makes everything worth it."

Beckett turned around and hugged Castle as hard as she could, wondering how lucky one woman could be.

"Did I ever tell you I'm the luckiest woman in the world?"

"Only as many times as I've said that I'm the luckiest man in the world"

They walked hand in hand and sat down on the blanket, admiring the peaceful silence and cool wind of the night.  
Beckett now understood why Castle had cooked so much food this afternoon, and started eating quickly while still trying to look dignified.  
Castle laughed at her eagerness and poured wine for the both of them. Maybe tipsy Beckett would be less likely to murder him for what he was about to do. He could look at her forever, but there was one last thing he wanted to do before the night ended.

"You know,I'm kinda sleepy from all that wine and delicious food. Can we cuddle under the stars because it's getting cold and I wouldn't mind stealing all your warmth."

"Just one last thing, stand up."

Beckett shot him a look, but did it anyways. Castle got up behind her, and swept her off her feet before she could react.

"CASTLE! What are you-"

Beckett broke off into giggles, possibly because she was slightly tipsy.

"Shhhhh, it's more fun if you don't know"

Castle carried her over to the lake, taking a moment to double check that his bag was close to the edge and said a quick prayer that he would survive tonight.

"I just want you to know that I love you a lot and I really want to grow old with you and not die young"

"Castle-"

Even her tipsy brain knew something was off but she didn't realize that she had forgotten just one big thing.  
Castle's immaturity.

* * *

Castle threw Beckett into the lake, already knowing that this could be his last day alive.  
Beckett was caught off guard, but had just enough time to let out a loud yell before she hit the water. It was so cold she felt like the human version of an ice cube, and she came up gasping for air.

"RICHARD EDGAR RODGERS-"

Castle took a deep breath, then jumped into the lake. It was even colder then he had expected, he made sure to get away from Beckett before she could get her hands on him.

"I'm so sorry but I just had to do it, surely you can find it in your heart to forgive me?" Castle grinned at her like a little child, keeping a safe distance from her.

"You are so dead-"

"Well catch me if you can!"

Castle easily swam out of her reach, each time giving her a teasing smile. Finally, he stopped moving, and Beckett took her change to lunge at him. Just before she could grab him, he disappeared.

Before Beckett had time to react to this, Castle grabbed her from underwater and lifted her onto his shoulders.

"You think I would let you win that easy?"

Beckett let out a sigh of frustration and began to beat her fists against his back, not that it did anything to help her.  
Castle let her drop a little, and Beckett instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.

"See, isn't this romantic?"

Beckett mumbled under her breath, but had to admit that he had a point. She was use to the water now and it was the most fun she had in forever. It was still evil of him to throw her in a lake, but he had gone to so much trouble to make her fondest wish true: a midnight picnic

Castle pressed his lips to hers, forgetting about the cold water and the stress from writing his new novel and instead focused on how perfect everything felt. All the planning (and bribing!) had worked, and he couldn't imagine a better night or a better person to spend it with.

Once they broke apart, he placed his forehead on hers and laughed.

"What's so funny now?"

"Oh, I'm about to beat you in a race to the shore, obviously"

He quickly pushed off and began to swim away from her. Taking a moment to regain her senses, Beckett knew she couldn't win this fair. She would have to play dirty.

Castle felt a sudden weight on his back, and twisted his neck around to see Beckett on his back, grinning at him. He twisted and turned, trying to shake her off, but she had a tight grip on him and was refusing to let go.  
Once they were 20 feet from shore, Beckett sprung off Castle's back and quickly swan to shore, ready to do a celebratory dance once she got back onto dry land.

"Hey, that was cheating AND dirty!"

Beckett smirked and wrapped her arms around him

"Haven't you learned that I don't lose?"

Castle grumbled but went over to get the back with their pajamas, knowing that losing in a race was the nicest way Beckett could have beat him.

"You brought my bunny pajamas!"

"They were the only ones I saw when I went into your closet, and I didn't want to spoil the surprise by taking too long"

Beckett sighed, but grabbed the pajamas anyway. It helped that being drunk made everything less embarrassing.  
Once they were changed and cuddled under the covers, it was almost 5:30am and the sun was just peeking over the clouds.

"I love you Castle"

" I love you too Beckett"

They both drifted off into sleep, feeling like everything had finally settled into place for them.


	4. Chocolate Eggs and Bunny Faces

AN: I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING I got busy, lazy, and discouraged. Due to me being on my 4th round of anti biotics,

and other reasons, I'm always tired/sick/etc so I'm sorry if this isn't great or you hate me.

Anyways, I started this at Easter, and had to finish it, so here.

* * *

xoxo Emily

It was warm and quiet, Beckett could hear Castle snoring beside her and snuggled closer into him. This was exactly how she imagined her dream life.

Then Beckett heard something creeping about the house, and the the door to their room slowly open. She sighed and opened her eyes, her mind still foggy and er eyes blurry. Before she could get up, a giant weight landed on the bed, nearly giving her a heart attack.

The kids were awake.

It was Easter morning, and the kids were already up and ready to hunt for candy. Castle, as per usual, was snoring his heart out, dead to the world. Beckett sighed, trying to enjoy the last moments of warmth and relaxation.

"Mommy, Mommy! The Easter Bunny came and left us a note!"

Their oldest child, Lily, was only 6 but already more tiring then Castle. Full of energy and always quick witted, she could make anyone smile. Their other child, Victoria, was 4 but was more calm and thoughtful like Beckett. Of course there were some things that even she couldn't resist, and when she became mischievous, no one was safe

"Can you read it for us, please?"

Lily looked at her with big blue eyes, and Beckett knew she couldn't even pretend to resist. She rolled out of bed, wiping the sleep out of her eyes and preparing herself to become cheerful. She took the note and began reading out loud.

"Dear Lily and Victoria:

I know you are two very smart little girls, and you've been so good that I decided to hide chocolates and candies in your house. When your parents say it's OK, go run and try to find as many eggs as you can. Have fun, and happy Easter!

Love, the Easter Bunny"

Both girls lit up, ready to run already.

"Let's just wake your dad first, then we'll go see what the Easter Bunny left you, ok?"

Lily squealed in delight and Victoria clapped her hands together, both excited for the candy that was awaiting them.

Beckett was surprised that Castle wasn't up and bouncing with the girls already, but she knew he would be just as excited as Lily and Victoria.

"Pssst...Castle, wake up...Castle, it's Easter...CASTLE"

Beckett shook him, but there was no response. No matter what Beckett did Castle kept sleeping, which made her frustrated very quickly.

* * *

"So girls, do you think we did a good job?"

Lily and Victoria burst out giggling, nodding their heads as they watched their father sleeping peacefully.

Beckett and the kids had drawn bunny whiskers, painted his face white, and gave him a pair of bunny ears. Somehow he had slept through it all, barely even stirring.

"Mommy, can we go find our the eggs now?"

Lily had become impatient with waiting, and even Beckett couldn't wait any longer.

She walked out of the room and went to Castle's study, starting to rummage through his desk to find what she needed

"Ah, here we are. I guess the research about horns did become useful after all"

Air horn in hand and a wicked grin on her face, she slipped back into the bedroom. Making sure not to make any sudden movements, least Castle decide to wake up, she sat on the bed.

Victoria and Lily looked at her with wide eyes, astonished at their mother's plan to wake their dad up

"We gonna make the scary noise to wake daddy up?"

Victoria whispered, glancing over to see if Castle was still asleep

"I'll even let you guys push the button"

Beckett laughed as the girls scrambled onto her lap, nearly bursting with excitement

"On the count of 3 you push the button, ok?"

Victoria and Lily nodded eagerly, placing their hands over the button and holding their breath.

"One...Two...THREE!"

They pushed the button as hard as they could, resulting in the loudest and scariest sounds Beckett has ever heard.

Castle jerked up, scrambling out of bed, before snapping open his eyes and grabbing a pillow like some sort of shield

"Beckett, are you ok- Huh..?"

Beckett and the girls had collapsed into a heap of giggles, which only furthered Castle's confusion.

"Did-wait-um-you woke me up with an AIR HORN?!"

Beckett only laughed harder and choked out a "Yes" while trying to regain control of her breathing.

"Is it National Pick on Castle day? I swear if this is some sort of revenge for me making you miss the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy I swear-"

Beckett gasped and put her hands over her heart

"I only watch it for the cute doctors, it's not like I care about the over dramatic plot lines...Most of the time... Ok some of them are good but it's not like I'm obsessed or anything...It's just a guilty pleasure obviously! Anyways, we did not create a national holiday for you, we were just trying to wake you up"

"And you thought making me deaf was gonna be the solution?!"

This set the girls off again, and Beckett had to bite her lip to avoid grinning

"Does it make a difference if I tell you that's Easter so you have to forgive me?"

Castle rolled his eyes stuck, and leaped at Beckett. She only had a split second to react before Castle started tickling her.

"Castle- this isn't-fair-"

Beckett was laughing too hard to speak, and Castle enjoyed every minute of it. Once he decided he'd gotten enough revenge, he turned to his daughters and began creeping towards them. Lily and Victoria ran out of the room screaming with laughter, hoping they wouldn't get caught by the Tickle Monster.

Once Beckett had caught her breath and was getting an outfit together that would be both cute and practical. She decided on a loose, pink sundress and a black shawl with some black flats for later. She took a quick shower and got her makeup done in a simple yet flattering way.

"Castle, where are you?" Beckett yelled from their room.

"In the kitchen"

She wandered into the kitchen and smiled at the sight of her husband, multi millionaire author Richard Castle, dancing around the kitchen while making bunny pancakes for their daughters. He still had the makeup on his face, but neither of the girls had said anything and Beckett wan't going to be the one to bring it up.

"I'm gonna go get ready, you think you can handle flipping a few pancakes?"

"I've handled you for long enough, I think I've got this Castle"

Once Castle had left, Beckett loaded more bunny shaped pancakes onto the table, and waited for the inevitable...

* * *

"KATHERINE HOUGHTON BECKETT WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?"

Beckett used one hand to stead herself as she began to laugh, while Victoria and Lily giggled.

The bathroom door slammed, and very quickly a very pissed off Castle with smudged makeup appeared. Beckett ran to hide behind the girls, unable to stop laughing

"I CAN NOT GO OUT LOOKING LIKE THIS ESPESITO AND RYAN WILL MOCK ME UNTIL THE DAY I DIE"

"Don't worry, it will come off sooner or later. Besides, you can't do anything on Easter, it's against the rules"

Castle shot her a look, but sighed and uncrossed his arms

"They say I'm a giant child, but I seem to have married one..."

Lily and Victoria had calmed down and were now looking at their father with pleading eyes

"NOW can we go find the candy? Pleeeeeeease?"

Castle thought for a moment before grinning

"Of course you can! Easer waits for no one"

The girls grabbed a basket and each ran off in opposite directions. Castle followed Lily, while Beckett went with Victoria. Beckett watched as Victoria stopped in each room, scanning for the best spots, and gathering the eggs extremely fast.

Meanwhile, Castle and Lily were practically destroying each room, screaming and throwing things everywhere to find the eggs. It felt exhausting, but the hunt was over quickly and the girls were content to flop down and start eating candy.

"The house is a mess, and we still have the Easter picnic later today. I'm sure Lanie and the gang would love to hear about how you looked like a bunny, and see all the pictures..."

"HEY! That's not fair! I was asleep, it's not my fault.."

Castle swatted Beckett's arm and tried to pout, but failed miserably.

"Can't we just cuddle here on the couch and watch a movie? Pleeeease?"

Unable to resist Beckett's puppy eyes, Castle nodded and let Beckett snuggle into him. They picked out a movie and let themselves relax. The most exhausting part of the day was over.


	5. Rich Dreams and Fancy Parties

AN: I AM SO SO SO SORRY! I was so busy with finals and birthdays and everything that I couldn't update. But I promise to do better with my free time now... Anyways, I was wondering if I did a And Then There Were None murder mystery style story with Castle would that be a good idea? It's been stuck in my head and I do have an outline already (in french, but I'll translate it of course) ...Well I hope you enjoy and forgive me xoxo

(in this Lanie and Kate work together, Ryan/Espo are in the same squad but don't work with them, and they're friends with Castle)

It was a cold winter's night, and Kate Beckett felt like human ice cube. Flowing dresses and heels weren't exactly the recommended winter fashion, but she didn't have a choice.

It had been months since she had broken up with Derek, and Lanie had decided it was time for her to "go get her life back". Kate thought a bubble bath and glass of wine sounded nicer, but Lanie had practically threatened her life if she didn't go. She had no idea how Lanie got invites, and she didn't want to know. Working with dead bodies all day can make someone very persuasive. Or scary. So here she was, standing on the curb, waiting for Lanie to come get her.

Kate wrapped her arms around herself and pulled her cellphone out to call Lanie, when a taxi rolled up and her best friend's face popped out the window

"C'mon Kate, we can't be late to this party!"

Lanie sounded breathless with excitement, and Kate felt a twinge of guilt. This was the most exciting thing that had happened to them in a while and it would make her a terrible friend if she ruined it.

"Fine, fine. Try not to have a heart attack before we get there."

Kate slipped int the taxi and took a deep breath. There was no going back now. At least, if she didn't want to break a limb from jumping out the taxi in mid-ride.

Lanie talked the whole way through the ride, talking about all the people who would be there and what the decorations could be and what if she didn't have the right dress, while Kate looked out the window and nodded every once in a while. It was only when Kate realized that it was silent that she looked at Lanie.

"Sweetie I know this isn't exactly your idea of the perfect night, but I promise you'll have fun. Just look at all the beautiful decorations, I bet they have fancy champagne inside-"

And with that Lanie grabbed Kate's hand, threw some bills at the driver, and dragged her into the large mansion. The front hall was covered in white fairy lights, and a ruby red carpet lead into a giant ballroom. There were people, rich people, everywhere. Servants rushed around with plates of food, a band played in the back, a bar a giant ice sculpture of some flowers to Kate's right, and another outside on the balcony. Who knew how someone could afford all this.

"You're sure we should be here? You didn't just invite yourself? I'd rather not get my life back by being arrested-"

Lanie rolled her eyes and hit Kate's arm.

"I did not break into this party, let's just say I have some connections who owed me favors. Who knew that cute cop guy and his partner, Ryan or whatever his name is, could be so easily persuaded. Besides, we're already here so we might as well mingle with all of these people."

Kate paused for a moment, but relaxed and let Lanie pilot her to the bar to get some drinks.

"2 red wines please, I think my friend here needs a little liquid courage"

This time it was Kate's turn to hit Lanie

"I don't need anything, it's just not easy being around so many people who have spent my entire year's salary on a piece of jewelry-"

Lanie shook her head and handed Kate her glass.

"Do you even know who's throwing this party?"

Kate fiddled with her glass while waiting for Lanie's answer, wondering if someone like her was even allowed here.

"You come to a party like this and you don't know who the host is? Exactly what school of manners did you go to?"

A voice piped behind her, and Kate spun around, nearly dropping her glass in the process.

"Sorry- um- I'm- it's just I'm with my friend and she wouldn't tell me. We can leave right now-"

Lanie had to hide her laughter behind a napkin, but she certainly wasn't going to win an Academy Award anytime soon.

Thhe women in front of Kate was older, with red hair many jewels all over her hands. Kate was almost certain she had seen her somewhere before, but she just couldn't place it.

"I'm sorry, I was just teasing. I'm Martha Rodgers, my son Richard Castle is hosting this party. I do hope you've at least read his books-"

Kate's eyes widened and she felt herself go red. Richard Castle, her favorite author, was the host, and his mother was standing here taking to her. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"Actually, my friend Kate her is a huge fan. She's read every single book and even freaked out once when she got his autograph. It was so funny-"

Kate grabbed a croissant from a passing server and shoved it into Lanie's mouth. No amount of damage control would ever let her live this down

"Well I'm glad to know at least one person here actually likes Richard and not just his money"

Martha smiled, and said goodbye before wandering over to chat with another group of people.

Kate spun around and glared at Lanie

"what the hell! Now the whole family will think I'm insane. You are so gonna pay for this"

Lanie continued to eat the croissant and smile innocently, like she had just done Kate some huge favor. Kate felt her phone buzz and she pulled it out to see someone had texted her. When she saw who it was, her heart dropped.

Derek.

Of all the people she wanted to hear from, he was at the bottom of the list.

That night, 6 months ago, when her whole life had come crashing down.

It had been a warm July night, Derek and Kate's 4 year anniversary was just a week ago, and she had decided to surprise him with that fancy jacket he had been eyeing. Her excitement didn't last long.

She had driven home early from a day at work, gift all wrapped, and a smile that wouldn't stop. She hadn't checked her phone, didn't see the message saying Derek had gone to a bar, didn't know he was trying to keep her away from the truth.

Sometimes she wished she had seen the message and never found out the truth. It almost hurt less to live a lie then know the truth.

When she got to the house, she saw the lights in their bedroom on, and knew she wasn't too late. She could imagine his face when he saw the gift. But that's not how things ended.

She crept up the stairs, she could hear faint voices and wondered why Derek was watching TV before sleeping. She made sure to hold the git behind her back, and opened the door.

It was only then did she realize that the TV wasn't on.

He was with another women, in their house, in their bed, too busy to notice Kate at the door.

"WHAT. THE HELL."

Kate felt tears start to stream down her face, and dropped the now forgotten gift.

Derek froze, and began cursing.

"Wait- no Kate- it doesn't mean anything, I was going to ask you to marry me but I just wanted one last taste of freedom. I'm so sorry, you weren't suppose to be home this early-"

Kate shook her head and stumbled out the room, trying to wipe away the tears and clear her head of what she just saw. What he had said about marriage, that's what hurt the most. He wanted to marry her, but obviously she wasn't good enough for him. She had ran out the door, somehow calling Lanie and blubbering her tale to her best friend. Lanie had wanted to "make that jerk her next case" but Kate got her to settle for just letting her sleep over for a few days. Eventually she got all her stuff back, moved into a new place, and never spoken to Derek again.

Kate put down her wine glass and debated if she should text back or not. Tell him he was scum? Ask him why? All these questionsbuzzed around her head, her brain not knowing which one to choose.

"Hey Kate, are you alright?"

Lanie shook her slightly, looking concerned for her friend.

"I-I-..I don't know... Derek just texted me, he wants to meet up and get a chance to explain everything-"

Lanie tried o grab Kate's phone, looking like she was ready to kill someone

"Oh I'm gonna enjoy cutting him up on my table, after I tell him what scum he is-"

Kate sighed and put her phone behind her back

"Please don't, I know you're trying to help, but I don't think that's the right idea... I think I just need some fresh air right now...Please?"

Lanie softened and pulled Kate into a hug

"of course, whatever you need, I'm here. Speaking of guys, there's that cute cop guy and his partner over there, we should go talk to them. Maybe it will cheer you up-"

Kate smiled and shook her head.

"I'm gonna go on the balcony, but I expect you to get the cute one's phone number before the end of tonight"

She pushed her best friend towards the two cops, and wandered onto the balcony. There was a breath taking view of the gardens, she took her time watching it. Content with what she had seen, she reached out to touch the ice sculpture beside her. It was freezing cold, but so beautiful...

"Do you know how much that costs? We can't have hot people like you touching it and having it melt"

Kate jumped at the sound of a man's voice, already preparing her excuses to leave the party.

"I'm so sorry- I just- it was so beautiful- I'll leave now"

The man laughed and walked closer.

"You do know I was trying to compliment you?"

Kate blushed and took a step closer to see who this man was.

Rugged brown hair, a black tuxedo... And oh, those blue eyes. She would know them anywhere.

She was talking to Richard Castle.

"Oh god Mr. Castle, I promise I'll just leave, don't worry-"

Kate could barely speak, and she could see his eyes twinkle with laughter. If that was even possible...

"I thought I would remember inviting someone as beautiful as you, miss-?"

"Beckett, Kate Beckett. My friend brought me here, obviously I'm not very good with fancy parties-"

Richard took a step closer, and tilted his head at her.

"Have you read any of my books, miss Beckett? Surely your boyfriend must be jealous of you going to such a party without him-"

Kate looked away and clasped her hands together.

"You can call me Kate... Besides, I'm single. But I'm a huge fan, I've read every book-"

Kate stopped herself and realized she sounded like the biggest dork ever. Suddenly jumping off the balcony didn't seem like such a bad idea...

"Well you should call me Rick. I do like to keep my fans happy, and surely leaving a women like you all alone would be a crime. Care to dance, Kate?"

Richard reached his hand out, waiting to see her reaction.

Kate chewed her lip and wondered if this was some kind of joke. A millionaire author, asking her to dance? But seeing him flash her that smile, and give her those puppy eyes, she had to say yes. She placed her hand in his and took a deep breath.

"I promise you won't regret this Kate. You'll never want to stop once you dance with me."

As they reached the dance floor, the band began to play a slower song, and Richard smirked. He made sure they were as close together as possible, and Kate felt her heart speed up. Through the corner of her eye, she could see Lanie and that cop dancing, staring right at each other the whole time.

Richard twirled Kate, and then tilted her head up. He waited a moment, and then pressed his lips onto hers. Kate froze for a second, but let herself relax and circle her arms around his neck. she forgot about Derek, she forgot about all the sadness she saw at her job, she forgot about everything outside of her and Richard. If this was a dream, Kate never wanted to wake up.

Martha Rodgers watched her son dance with that young women, he couldn't take his eyes off her and the girl looked lost in their little world.

"See Alexis, I told you that your dad being friends with those cops would be a good idea. Your dad is finally happy, and Espostio managed to charm that girl's friend. Ah, what a beautiful thing love is..."


	6. Another Empty Bottle

AN: This was inspired by a song called "Another Empty Bottle". It's an extremely sad song, but I love it and have a very personal connection to it. I've changed the ending a bit but hopefully you guys like it. Also, there is some domestic/child abuse and attemped suicide so if that triggers you then please skip this. I'm also writing another story called "Deadly Letters" and I would love for you guys to check it out.

Link: s/11349197/1/Deadly-Letters

xoxo

...

**She'd hide away behind a door**

**She kept locked**

**But the walls weren't thick enough to **

**Block out, angry noises of the voices **

**That once soothed her to sleep**

...

Kate laid, curled up, on her bed, desperately trying to block out the noise. She was used to it happening every night, but the voices still cut through her like a knife. Her father screaming, lost in his drunken rage, her mother crying loud enough for Kate to hear.

Jim Beckett, an retired military man who had acquired wild mood swings and turned to alcohol after he saw his best friend die during the war. A man that would scream at Beckett during the day, then Johanna at night, his rage sometimes spilling over into hard blows.

Johanna Beckett, a respected lawyer, a loving mother, a loyal friend, strong enough to take down any criminal, but unable to get out this nightmare.

Kate knew that locking herself in her room would keep her mostly safe, but the guilt of not helping her mother ate away at her. She wanted to escape from this all, but she couldn't leave her mother behind, so she just had to wait and suffer through a few more years. She would become a policewomen just like her mother, and lock away those who hurt others.

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, YOU AND KATE JUST SIT AROUND AND ACT LIKE FOOLS ALL DAY-"

Kate clamped her hands over her ears as her father's screaming got louder, feeling the tears gather in her eyes.

"I was at work and then I came home to cook, I cleaned the house, Kate went to school, I swear we did work today-"

**"THUD"**

Kate heard her mother fall to the floor, knowing her father had just hit her, but the quiet sound of sobs told her that her mother was still conscious. Normally Kate would just keep wishing for everything to end, making sure her mother was ok in the morning once her father had left to go play games with his friends. But something snapped inside of Kate today, and she knew she could just sit there.

It was almost like rage took over her entire body, leading her to open her room door and creep downstairs. Her father was standing over her mother, continuing to hurl insults at her, not seeing his daughter approach him from behind. The room was in disarray, Jim's favorite baseball bat laid on the floor behind him, papers were scattered everywhere, a broken mug shattered into pieces, and the tea that used to be in it was soaking into the carpet.

"You can't do this anymore, I won't let you"

Jim spun around at the sound of his daughter's voice, an ugly snarl plastered onto his face

"Or what? You're gonna tell someone? I'll kill anyone who tries to interfere with my family."

Johanna still laid on the floor, silently begging Kate to stop, to protect herself, but it was of no use

"You won't get away with anything, I promise"

Kate's anger had overtaken her, taking away her fear of her father and finally letting her tand up to him.

"You won't be doing anything, or else your pretty little mother might have a very serious accident"

Jim smiled as he approached Kate, but Beckett stood her ground.

"In fact, I think you might have a little accident tonight, to teach you a lesson"

Kate felt the pain rush through her as Jim punched her, and she stumbled backwards. Her mind went blank, and she felt something at her feet. Something hard, and large-

Her father's favorite baseball bat. Kate picked it up and swung wildly, not seeing what was happening, and not caring.

**"CRACK"**

The sound echoed through the room as the bat connected with her father' head. Kate dropped the bat and stared at Jim with big eyes. He was knocked out, but still breathing.

"Kate...Run...I, I can...handle...him"

Her mother had sat up and was looking at Kate with pleading eyes. The guilt gnawed away at her, but she nodded and blindly walked too the door, managing to grab her purse and coat along the way. Once she stepped outside, she felt the fresh air clear her head. She wandered around the city, thinking over everything that just happened. She knew she was going to pay for it later, and her mother probably would too, but it had felt good to stand up to her father. Maybe it would be the first step to escaping from the house of horrors.

"Girls shouldn't walk all alone at night"

A male voice said from behind her, and Kate instinctively grabbed her pepper spray and sprayed whoever was behind her.

"WHY DID YOU HAVE TO PEPPER SPRAY ME OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO GO BLIND WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS"

Kate winced as she heard the boy screaming, maybe she should have been a bit less ready with the pepper spray. The guy fell onto the ground under a streetlight, and Kate had a chance to study him. He looked to be about her age, rugged brown hair, dressed in jeans and a black shirt.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little jumpy tonight..."

Kate held out her hand to help him up, but flinched when he actually took her hand. The guy finally stopped rubbing his eyes and gave Kate a small smile

"I'm Rick. Rick Castle. I don't normally meet girls like this, but I guess it's always good to try something new."

Kate blushed and looked away, mentally cursing herself.

"I'm Kate.. Kate Beckett.."

Rick patted the spot beside him, inviting her to sit. She thought for a moment, before settling down beside Rick.

He paused for a moment, then his eyes widened.

" Wait! You're the daughter of that lawyer my mom followed around a few weeks ago, to research her role"

Kate vaguely remembered her mother mentioning something about an actress with her at work, and something about her visiting the house one day.

"That sounds like fun, I wish I could follow my mom around work. I'm going to become a cop and put away criminals just like her"

Rick grinned as she talked excitedly about her future.

"Well maybe I could follow you around. I'm gonna be an author, and you could help me with research like your mom helped mine."

Kate laughed, anyone who followed her around would get very tired of her very fast.

"I would like that, then I could be your boss."

Rick held out his pinky finger.

"Promise?"

"Promise"

They both laughed as they interlocked pinkies.

"You know, I promise I don't always pepper spray guys, you just scared me-"

"So I'm special then?"

Rick winked at her and Kate felt herself blush yet again.

"No- well I mean you are special- but-um- I'm just a little bit tense tonight"

Rick studied her for a moment, before reaching out to touch her cheek.

"Does it happen to have anything to do with this giant bruise on your face?"

Kate flinched and Rick immediately pulled his hand back.

"It's-it's nothing.. It doesn't even hurt"

Kate could see the concern etched into his face, and pulled away from him.

"Kate, are you ok? Do you need me to call someone? I can help-"

Kate stood up and shook her head.

"I'm fine, you don't have to do anything."

Rick started to say something, but stopped.

"Well, do I get to see you again? Or will you disappear into the night, never to be seen again?"

Kate pulled out her phone and gave it to him.

"Put your number in here and I'll try to meet you tomorrow, ok?"

Rick quickly typed in his number and sent himself a text using her number.

"Same time and place?"

Kate nodded, before giving him an apologetic smile.

"I gotta go, I'm sorry"

Kate started jogging back to her house, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.

...

She watched her father live in regret

Heard her mother cry in an empty bed

And she swears

This is the best life gets

...

The next morning, Kate carefully covered up the bruise with makeup, and snuck off to school before her father woke up. She managed to get through the day without much trouble, but she was afraid of what would happen when she got home.

Her heart pounded as she opened the front door, waiting for any sound.

Silence.

She slowly crept around the house, finally letting out a sigh of relief when she was sure the house was empty. She opened her computer to start doing homework, but her mind kept wandering to Rick. What if her father found out? What if he got hurt because of her? How could she even see him if she couldn't sneak out at night?

The questions buzzed around her head, and Kate couldn't find a single answer.

""CRASH"

Kate heard the front door slam, and held her breath.

"KATE, GET DOWN HER RIGHT NOW"

Kate felt the breath go out of her body, and she tried to steady herself as she slowly walked down the stairs.

"Y-yes?"

The last thing she remembered before blacking out was the sound of her body hitting the floor.

...

Kate slowly opened her eyes, and felt pain course through her body. She tried to sit up, letting out a hiss of pain as she felt the soreness of at least one broken bone. Using the railing to steady herself, she managed to drag herself upstairs and into her bathroom. There was no sign of her father anywhere, and her mother was still at work.

Kate decided to take a pill for the pain, and ask her mother to take her to the doctor when Jim was out with his friends.

She swallowed the pill and started to put the bottle away, but stopped. She should keep it by her bed, just in case. She laid down on her bed and closed her eyes. But she opened her eyes and reached for the bottle.

One more pill couldn't hurt, could it? But one more turned into two more, and Kate just kept going until she finished the bottle. She wasn't sad, or mad, or confused, she just... didn't care.

She could sleep forever, and not have to worry about anything. But there was something she was forgetting...

Rick. She had forgotten about him.

Kate picked up her phone and tried to type out a message apologizing to Rick and telling him she couldn't see him again. Her mind was getting foggy, and she hit send, then closed her eyes again.

...

When Rick got the text, something felt wrong. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but something about the message was off. He decided to at least try to visit her, at least find out what happened.

"Hey mom, do you still have the address of that lawyer you followed around?"

"Yes, I do, but why?"

Rick grabbed a jacket and his phone, before giving his mother pleasing eyes.

"I have a research project and I wanna interview her. Please?"

Martha sighed and handed the piece of paper over, it was easier then trying to stop him.

"Thank you, I owe you one!"

Rick ran out of the apartment, and began jogging his way to Kate's house.

When he got there, there was no car in sight and most of the lights were off.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Rick knocked on the door, before giving up after a few minutes. He turned the knob and was surprised to see it unlocked.

"Please don't let me get arrested for this"

he whispered as he crept into the house, and walked up the stairs.

"Kate, Kate are you here? The door was opened and I was worried? I just wanna know why you couldn't see me"

Rick's opened the door to her bedroom, and smiled as he saw her lying on the bed. He walked over to her, and gently shook her.

"Kate, Kate wake up. Please don't pepper spray, but-"

Rick felt his heart drop as he saw the empty bottle beside her and noticed she was barely breathing.

"KATE? KATE PLEASE DON'T DIE ON ME PLEASE JUST WAKE UP-"

Rick shook her harder but got no response. He pulled out his phone and frantically called 911.

"Please help me, my friend took too many pills and she's barely breathing and she needs help right away!"

The ambulance came much quicker then expected, and Rick rode with her, seeing as there was no one else around. He paced around the waiting room, waiting to hear news, the minutes stretching into hours. Finally, a doctor appeared and told him that he could visit her for a little bit.

"Kate! Kate oh my god I was so scared I thought you were gonna die and-"

Castle said as he rushed into the room, but stopped when he saw a women sitting beside the bed, holding Kate's hand.

"So you're the one who saved my daughter's life?" the women asked.

"Well- I guess- I ound her and called the ambulance but-"

The women stood and held out her hand.

"I'm Johanna Beckett, and I was waiting to say thank you for saving my daughter's life. Without you, I'd be a grieving mother-"

Rick shook her hand, and let out an "oof" as she pulled him into a hug. She released him and nodded towards Kate.

"You can talk to her, but I'm not sure how much she remembers."

Rick smiled nervously and approached Kate.

"You know I would never let you die, right? You promised that I could follow you around when you become a cop, and I intend to see it through"

Kate smiled and reached for his hand.

"I...never...break...a...promise"

Johanna smiled as she watched the two teens talking. Maybe the world wasn't such a dark place after all.


	7. Mischief in Highschool

AN: omg it's been forever since an update...I was so busy with school, had two teachers leave 2 months into the semester, had to relearn so much stuff in English, so I didn't have time... I have little free time but I promise to update at least once a week (really)

Prompt: Castle is a new student at Beckett's highschool and she shows him around

"So, do you understand what we expect from you? You're lucky we'd take on someone with your reputation, one mistake and you'll be kicked out of here faster than you can say 'oof' "

Castle rolled his eyes and scribbled his signature at the bottom of the piece of pape"

"yeah yeah, I'll try not to get caught this time"

The principal glared and shoved a pile of textbooks at him beore dismissing him from the office

"Geez, it must be a requirment for all principals to be fun hating jerks"

Castle muttered under his breath, pulling out his schedule to figure out where his first class was.

"Great, I have to listen to someone drone on about History first thing in the morning...Guess I'll be using that class to figure out my next prank-"

Castle was so focused on his class schedule that he didn't see the girl in front of him until they collided.

"OW...damn, these floors are not soft"

Rick looked up and saw a girl sprawled on the floor with papers all around her

"Oh god, I am so sorry, I was trying to figure out where my classes where and I wasn't paying attention"

Castle held out his hand to help her up, and she paused for a moment. Deciding he couldn't be that bad, she took his hand and pulled herself up. She dusted herself off and Castle crouched beside her to help pick up all her papers that were scattered around the hallway.

"So, what are you doing wandering the halls anyways? Shouldn't you be in class?"

Castle stopped collecting papers and snuck a glance over at the girl. She had medium length, blonde hair that fell around her shoulders in soft curls, and was wearing a loose t-shirt over jeans and black flats. It was nothing special, yet Castle ound himself not wanting to take his eyes off of her.

"Thanks fo helping me clean all this up, most guys here would have just run off and not helped"

Castle smiled and stuck out his hand

"Lucky for you I'm not most guys. My name's Rick Castle, but you can call me Castle"

The girl arched her eyebrow and shook his hand

"Going by the last name? What, are you the leader of some angsty teenage rock band?"

Castle smirked and shook his head, taking a moment to scan her face before responding. It was just his luck to look like an idiot in front of a pretty girl on his first day.

"Sadly I do not have any musical talent, but I can write a mean novel, if that' any consolation"

The girl laughed, and Castle could't help but smile. He never did get tired of making people laugh, and it didn't hurt when it was a pretty girl.

"Well Castle, my name's Kate Beckett, as sad as it is that you're not the frontman for a band, I wouldn't mind checking out some of your work. After all, how do I know you're not lying to impress me?"

"I'd show you, but I'm already late for class and I'd rather not get kicked out on my first day. I'm trying to make it through at least 1 semester without being suspended or expelled."

Kate cocked her head to the side and smiled

"What exactly have you done to get yourself landed here? Did your other schools not appreciate your writing?"

"Would you think less of me if I told you that I covered the whole school in toilet paper and whipped cream?"

Kate laughed and Castle tried to hide his grin.

"Don't your parents have any rules against that?"

"Well, my mother is an actress and she's currently doing some productions in another state for 2 months, so I have the house all to myself"

Rick replied, watching Kate's expression change to surprise

Kate shifted her books to one side, then checked her watch.

"You know, I have a free block right now so I could show you to your class if you want..? I know these halls can be confusing-"

"That would be great actually, though I can't say I'm too excited to go to history"

Kate rolled her eyes and tugged at his sleeve

"C'mon writer boy, you better start walking if you wanna make it before the class ends"

Kate talked about he different groups in the school, the clubs and sports teams,and some of the "must know" rules until they finally got to Castle's class.

"So here it is.. Well good luck not falling asleep, and try not to get into any trouble, okay? I'm sure you'll find someone to show you to your other classes..Bye Castle"

Kate smiled at him and turned to walk away. Rick frowned and lightly grabbed her arm,

"Hey, Kate? Do you think there's any chance you could show me my other classes? I know you're probably busy but I'd rather not bug someone else and you've been so nice-"

Castle let go of her arm and gave her his most charming smile,

"Please Kate? I'd even let you read my writing, and not just anyone is allowed to do that."

Kate though for a moment, then shrugged,

"Hmmm... I guess it wouldn't be so bad, lunch is next so I'll come find you and you can hang out with me and my friends, then I'll show you your other classes quickly...You better be the next Stephan King or whatever"

Kate grinned and lightly punched his arm, then wandered off.

Class passed slowly for Castle, he was itching to meet Kate's friends and couldn't concentrate on anything his teacher said. He got a few dirty looks, but the teacher let him slide because it was his first day. Finally, the bell rung and Castle pratically ran out th classroom, bumping into a few of his now-annoyed classmates.

Kate was leaning against the wall beside the door and started laughing when she saw Castle nearly trip over his own feet.

"Honestly Castle, I've seen new born puppies with more coordination than you!"

Castle regained his balance and shot her a glare.

"Well obviously I was excited to hangout with a pretty girl"

Kate blushed and abruptly turned around to walk down the hall, leaving Castle to jog until he caught up. He chatted on and on about his class and teacher and all his classmates until they finally got to a table that all greeted Kate while staring at Castle.

"Castle, these are my friends, Lanie Parish, Javiar Esposito, and Kevin Ryan. Guys, this is Rick Castle, he's new. I've been showing him around, so be nice to him"

They studied him for a few seconds, then all greeted him and started asking him questions.

"So, did you move here or are you some super secret spy undercover?"

Kevin asked him, earning an elbow from Kate while Javiar high-fived him.

"As cool as it'd be to be a spy, I actually got kicked out all my other schools for my pranks. Adults don't seem to have a very good sense of humor.."

Both guys stopped laughing and looked at Castle quizzically, and Castle got scared that he'd said something wrong.

"Pranks, huh? Well me and Ryan here were actually planning one for the end of this semester, Kate and Lanie were gonna help us but we need another person. Do you think you can keep quiet and help us?"

Castle's eyes lit up and he leaned across the table.

"Are you kidding? I won't breath a word, I'll be a great addition to your team, you won't regret it!"

The rest of lunch was spent discussing how exactly they were gonna pull off their big prank, an when the bell rang to end lunch, Castle was disappointed.

"'I'm gonna show Castle to his class, I'll see you guys after school, ok?"

The group split up, and Kate showed Castle where his other classes were. The day passed by normally, but by the time Castle was home and had finished his homework, he was exhausted and went to bed early.

Hanging out with Kate and her friends became a routine for Castle, it made him realize he actually enjoyed this school, and he hadn't gotten himself in to trouble...Yet.

It seemed like every day Castle found something new he loved about Kate, and he tried a few times to find out if she liked anyone but she always found a way to avoid the questions. He found it odd at first, but soon learned to think nothing of it and just enjoy hanging out with her.

It was the last day of first semester, and Castle could hardly wait until the day was over. His classes dragged on and on, while he kept checking that he had everything he needed and the others knew the plan word for word as well. They had it all ready to go ready for tonight, and Castle wanted everything to go well. Plus, it would be a chance to show off his prank skills to Kate, and he couldn't mess that up.

Finally, the last bell rang, and Castle rushed outside to meet Kate and her friends, arriving out of breath and red faced but excited.

"You got all the stuff ready Kevin and Javiar?"

"Yup, we finished this morning and they're waiting in Kevin's room. You're ready too, right?"

Castle grinned and gave a thumbs up, already impatient to start.

"So we're all going to Kevin's house at 11, and then we'll come back here, ok guys?"

Kate looked around and everyone nodded. She smiled and bid them goodbye as she jogged off, leaving everyone to part their own ways until later.

"We're all here, and we haven't forgotten anything?"

Lanie counted everything, and took a deep breath.

"Ok, there's no going back now. Let's get started"

They all crept up the steps to the front door of the school, and Kate knelt down to start working at the lock. There was a loud "click" and she pulled the door open, beckoning the others to join her inside.

"Javiar and Kevin, you go to the second floor and release the balloons in the hallways. Lanie, you go spray the whipped cream in the gym, Castle and I will cover the principal's office. We'll all meet back here half an hour, and don't forget to text if something happens."

They all wished each other luck and split up. Kevin and Ryan filled the halls with massive amounts of balloons, Lanie used all 10 cans of whipped cream to cover the gym, while Kate and Castle tried to get into the principal's office.

"This lock isn't exactly simple Castle, it might take a while-"

"Well it's a good thing I have a key, isn't it? It pays of to befriend the janitor"

Kate's jaw dropped as Castle fished a key out of his pocket and opened the door.

"Why didn't you tell me?! I could have saved myself so much worrying...Or did you enjoy making me worry?"

Castle flashed her a charming smile and gestured her to go in first.

"Surprises are much more fun, now let's get moving or we'll never finish"

Kate strolled into the office and began pulling large amounts of sticky notes from her bag. er and Castle got to work sticking them everywhere, until there wasn't a spot left. Kate checked her phone and gesture to Castle that it was time to meet the other. Castle closed the door behind them as they crept out, and made sure to lock it again.

"Did everyone get their stuff done?"

Castle watched as everyone nodded and smiled, they really ha done a good job.

"HEY, WHO'S HERE?"

The lights were lipped on and the brightness blinded them momentarily, but it didn't matter since they all froze.

"Shit, did we forget to close the front door?"

Kate whispered as her friends stared at her, trying to figure out what to do.

"Let's just run and worry about that later!"

Castle started running and the others quickly followed, racing through the halls, trying to avoid the pounding footsteps and yelling coming from behind them. They burst through the doors, laughing, just as the principal turned the corner, almost screaming in frustration.

They kept running until they were a distance from the school, and then collapsed, still laughing.

"I can't believe we actually did that, we could have gotten arrested"

"But it was so worth it!"

Once they caught their breath, Lanie and Javiar said they had to get back home soon and bid everyone goodnight. Kevin offered to give Kate and Castle a ride home, but they both declined and Ryan drove off alone.

"You know Castle, I never expected to do anything like this when I first met you"

Kate smiled at him and hugged him, ready to go home.

"Well Kate, I've imagined doing this since I met you"

Kate only had a second to look surprised before she felt his lips on hers. It was a shock, but she wasn't objecting. She had assumed he just thought of her as a friend, but obviously she had been wrong...

When they separated, Beckett started into Castle bright blue eyes, and couldn't stop herself from grinning like a fool, and she could she her expression mirrored on Castle's face.

"So, what do you say we go back to my house and have a hot drink?"

"That sounds perfect Castle"

...


End file.
